Diary for Timothy, A

Synopsis
Documentary. Jennings’ deeply felt vision of life in Britain during the final year of World War II as lived by four representative characters - an engine driver, a farmer, a miner and an injured fighter pilot. The film takes the form of a diary covering the first year of a baby’s life born 3 September 1944. In one key sequence, London’s Haymarket Theatre is shown advertising a performance of Hamlet. John Gielgud is on stage acting the graveside scene (V i); a uniformed reservist in a canteen discusses the trajectory of the V2 bombs; Gielgud speaks the ‘Alas, poor Yorick’ lines and then there is an explosion close to the canteen; Gielgud continues performing as the reservist and others dig in the rubble for survivors.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Film
Technical information
Black-and-white / Sound
Year of release
1946
Duration
39 mins; 3,481 feet

Credits

Director
Humphrey Jennings
Producer
Basil Wright
Cinematographer
F Gamage
Writer
E M Forster
Music
Richard Addinsell
Contributor
Michael Redgrave
Cast
John GielgudHamlet

Additional Details

Theatre
Theatre Royal, Haymarket
Production type
Documentary/Educational/News
Plays
Hamlet
Subjects
History
Keywords
Home Front; propaganda; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); World War II

Notes

Notes
The film is contained in The HUMPHREY JENNINGS COLLECTION distributed by Moviemail. Amazon.co.uk distributes the film within the title LISTEN TO BRITAIN AND OTHER FILMS BY HUMPHREY JENNINGS.
General
The Theatre Royal, Haymarket production of Hamlet was part of Gielgud’s repertory season at the theatre for 1944-45.
History
Filmed between Autumn 1944 and April 1945, but not released until 1946.
Reviews
Hodgkinson, A.W. & R.E. Sheratsky, Humphrey Jennings: More Than Just a Maker of Films. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1982. pp. 155-61.

Production Company

Name

Crown Film Unit

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7436 0165
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Distributor (Hire)

Name

BFI Film Bookings Unit

Email
bookings.films@bfi.org.uk
Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7957 8938 / 8935
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "Diary for Timothy, A". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/5586 (Accessed 26 Nov 2024)